Many chemical processes have been proposed heretofore for use of radiant energy such as available from nuclear reactors to produce high energy chemicals such as H.sub.2. Some of the more significant problems of such processes include (a) the necessity to work at high temperatures where accelerated corrosion takes place and conventional materials are ineffective, (b) the necessity to maintain critical ranges of operating conditions of pressure, temperature, and chemical balances to effectuate a desired chemical reaction, (c) the difficulty of separating desired chemical constituents from the residual starting materials and by-products, and (d) the tendency for desired chemical constituents (i.e. H.sub.2 and O.sub.2) to recombine and thus reduce the effective yields.
Typical of the prior art radio-chemical processes related to this invention using radiant energy to effect chemical reactions are the hereinafter discussed U.S. patents.
W. H. Philipp et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,762--July 30, 1974 proposes a low temperature radiation chemistry method which precipitates specific metals such as nickel, antimony from solutions. Thus, a radiation sensitive salt such as SbCl.sub.3 is immersed into an external aqueous or organic developing solution thereby to generate H or OH, etc. reducing components in the presence of radiation. The pure metal (Sb, etc.) is precipitated.
D. E. Bown et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,073,766--Jan. 15, 1963 proposes a method for preparation of a titanium trichloride as a polymerization catalyst by irradiation of an organic solution (free of water or polarizing compounds) of titanium tetrachloride at temperatures exceeding 500.degree. F. The trichloride precipitates upon radiation and is recoverable from the liquid solution.
A. I. Mytelka et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,089--Jan. 5, 1971 proposes Co.sup.60 gamma radiation to ionize azo dyestuff waste at ambient temperatures to oxidize organic solutes in the water to decolorize waste water. By addition of a multivalent metal cation (Fe.sup.2+, Fe.sup.3+) the efficiency is increased.
R. W. Woodard U.S. Pat. No. 2,787,587--Apr. 2, 1957 proposes use of uranium isotopes of difference valence states (hexavalent and tetravalent) in an isotopic exchange process for enriching uranium. Thus, UCl.sub.4, UO.sub.2 Cl.sub.2 (U.sup.+4) and U.sup.+4 is used to produce UO.sub.2 (U.sup.+3) in an aqueous solution at ambient temperatures in which a precipitate is formed. No radiation is used.
Also, Mitsubishi Heavy Ind. in a published abstract No. 54540Y/31 E36--Aug. 13, 1975 of Japanese No. 097496 dated Feb. 17, 1977 proposes to use Cl.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O under radiation with a nitrite of alkali metal to produce H.sub.2 and O.sub.2. In this process ferrous chloride is reacted thermally with cuprous chloride to produce copper and ferric chloride. The objective is to obtain hydrogen as a superior energy component with 2500 K/cal/m.sup.3.
These typical prior art chemical processes introduce a range of problems including those above-identified and further problems including the necessity to use diluents or solvents or reducing agents or other sources of chemical energy to supplement radiation and associated heat energy. Also the consumption of the more expensive chemicals used in a reaction can make it too costly for general use. It is also desirable when chemically radiolytically converting chemicals for obtaining stored chemical energy to obtain high enough energy content to permit for example the conversion of water into H.sub.2 and O.sub.2 constituents. A particular need also of the radiolytic conversion processes is that end products should be derivable without radioactive contamination.
The present invention is directed to processes different from the prior art which resolve the aforestated problems in producing high energy containing chemical constituents in the processing of solutions of multivalent metals by radiant energy. In particular the processes are carried out without solvents at moderate temperatures and afford ready separation of the various product and by-product constituents without tedious or complicated physical or chemical steps and can afford a low cost practical source of enough energy for water conversion. The expensive chemicals are recycled, and the end products are not directly radiated so that they are not radioactively contaminated.